Bang bang—bang bang—bang—

As soon as Wu Liang's provocative words dropped, the five Awakened except for Mei Xin Mountain all stood up abruptly, glaring at him with unabashed disgust.

Seeing that someone might make a move the next second, Mei Xin Mountain finally put away the bright smile on his face.

"Sigh... let's sit down first, we can actually discuss this well with our journalist friend; there's no need to resort to violence." His tone sounded seemingly helpless and compromising, but it actually carried a hint of threat.

What does it mean by no need to resort to violence?

It means that if needed, he would lead everyone present to take action against Wu Liang!

"Heh, I actually hope you all make the first move, after being thoroughly beaten down, I'll naturally interrogate you for your true intentions."

Wu Liang was the type who wouldn't budge to either soft or hard tactics.

He just wanted to see what this group, who treated him as a jinx at first sight, wanted to discuss after all!

Mei Xin Mountain didn't get angry upon hearing this, he just shook his head and said, "Journalist friend, today's banquet isn't meant to harm you, we just want to discuss with you—if it's possible not to enter the Celestial Pool?"

"Why? Give me a reason first, though I probably won't care about it."

Wu Liang's face was full of hostility, almost like he wanted to write "go ahead and hit me" on his forehead.

He already had enough pressure with this trip to the Celestial Pool, and now the Awakened landing in Di Wu City still wanted to play the tough local ruler against an outsider?

Anyone would feel unhappy about that!

"You! You outsider know nothing, do you know that going to the Celestial Pool will cause..."

A female Awakened sitting opposite Wu Liang who was about to sit down when Mei Xin Mountain spoke, shot up, ready to point at him and scold after hearing Wu Liang.

But with just a side glance from Mei Xin Mountain, she shut her mouth again and sat down angrily.

This only made Wu Liang more curious—just going to the Celestial Pool would lead to what consequences?

"Let me explain."

Mei Xin Mountain picked up the wine glass on the table, took a huge gulp, and then explained the reason: "You should know that there are a lot of Fierce Ghosts in the Celestial Pool, right?"

Hearing this, Wu Liang nodded.

This was information recorded in the documents.

Mei Xin Mountain continued, "Because of their sheer number, a strange balance has actually formed among them, restraining each other and staying dormant, not actively leaving their range."

"But if you go into the Celestial Pool and exorcise even one Fierce Ghost, I believe journalist friend you have that capability, it would break the balance, possibly causing a massive outbreak of Fierce Ghosts then!"

"Di Wu City... probably cannot withstand such a catastrophe, so we can't let you enter the Celestial Pool!"

At the end, Mei Xin Mountain even used honorifics because he knew Wu Liang's mission this time was approved by headquarters, even after traveling so far the opposition might seem unreasonable.

But for the safety of nearly three million people in Di Wu City, he had no choice but to do so.

Even if it meant taking action to temporarily trap Wu Liang within the city, and only apologizing or compensating after convincing headquarters.

"Did you report this situation to headquarters before?"

After hearing Mei Xin Mountain explain the situation of the Celestial Pool of Tianshan, Wu Liang did not immediately reveal his intentions; instead, he asked this question.

The other party solemnly nodded.

"Yes, but the headquarters said you could handle the issue and rejected my application, however..."

"But you don't believe in me, right."

Before he finished speaking, Wu Liang had already responded with a face full of helplessness.

The entire banquet went silent, but everyone's expressions were just as Wu Liang stated—they didn't believe in him.

The female Awakened with a fiery temper said somewhat disdainfully, "You all act like the Emperor far away in the sky, relying solely on reports without understanding the sheer number of Fierce Ghosts inside the Celestial Pool! We are the ones truly suffering here!"

Her tone clearly revealed more than just dissatisfaction with this operation.

In fact, not just her, but the other Awakened present also harbored other grievances, using the exploration plan of the Celestial Pool as an opportunity to vent entirely.

Wu Liang glanced at the Awakened around him ready to step forward and forcibly keep him within the city. He looked at Mei Xin Mountain and spoke calmly.

"I've already met that big boss from headquarters, since they've acknowledged me, and I've boasted to a few Zodiac friends before leaving, I can't let them be disappointed!"

"It's simple, I just need to make you all convinced!"

Whoosh—

As soon as he finished speaking, a strong wind swept through the room!

A powerful killing intent mixed with a fog so thick you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, swept through instantly, engulfing everyone with an impending sense of doom.

After all, they were also Awakened who had fought Fierce Ghosts for years, so they gritted their teeth and started mobilizing their Awakened abilities ready for resistance.

"The fog is too thick! He wants to hide and take us down one by one! Lock onto his position!"

At this point, Mei Xin Mountain could no longer negotiate peacefully and immediately ordered everyone to prepare for battle.

A corner Awakened's pupils turned scarlet, and the mist seemed to vanish in his eyes, every being with the ability to move or Spiritual Power had their blurry outline perceived by him.

[Spirit Lock]!

"Captain Mei! He's still beside you and hasn't left..."

"Oh? You think I want to take you down one by one? Overthinking it, it's not that troublesome."

Wu Liang still sat in place, saying with a helpless tone, then tossed a small white bird from his hand, quietly watching it hop onto the table.

Next second, the mist in the room instantly turned pitch black carrying a slight moist vibe.

Mei Xin Mountain hadn't even gotten the chance to grab Wu Liang beside him, when he felt goosebumps all over, his hair standing on end and slightly floating unbidden.

Clearly, this phenomenon was caused by static electricity.

And lightning is nothing but the product of static electric discharge.

Thunder Ghost, activated!

Crackling—Boom—

"Ahhh!!"

The room instantly resounded with various screams under intense lightning strikes.

A few seconds later, the dark clouds dispersed.

Only two made it through, Mei Xin Mountain and the previously fiery-tempered female Awakened.

Her arms glowed only in time to release two protective shells as if protecting herself and Mei Xin Mountain.

She glared fiercely in Wu Liang's direction, realizing that under such a strike, even if her companions weren't in fatal danger, they'd have to stay in bed for ten days or half a month now.

"Captain Mei! Now is the time!"

"This balloon-like thing is your Awakened Ability? Go home and practice more."

Wu Liang still continued talking to himself.

Then, to the stunned gaze of the other two, he casually raised his hand and slapped the protective shell.

Bang—

The protective shield, along with the hope in the female Awakened's eyes, shattered like a balloon.

And this pretty boy with the codename Journalist seemed to have done it as easily as breathing.

This was really just a casual slap from him!

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